As Southern University’s 2013 team continues to walk on unfamiliar ground, Jaguars coach Dawson Odums faces a bit of a dilemma for Saturday’s 40th Bayou Classic. On the surface, it would appear his Jaguars, in the midst of their first winning season since 2009, don’t have much to play for as they prepare to meet Grambling at 1:30 p.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Southern (7-4, 6-2) has already punched its ticket for the SWAC Championship next week in Houston at Reliant Stadium. The Jaguars, SWAC West champions, will meet Jackson State for the big prize Dec. 7.

Grambling (1-10, 1-7), on the other hand, will conclude it tumultuous season Saturday. The Tigers are out not only to hand their rival a bitter loss, they’re also playing to perhaps make Dennis “Dirt” Winston their permanent coach.

Winston has served as interim coach since Oct. 17 and is popular with the team. He is among the 70 or so applicants for the job.

But Odums faced a similar situation a few weeks ago when Southern traveled to Montgomery, Ala., to face Alabama State. Like this SWAC contest, it meant nothing. Southern had already won the SWAC West crown. But the Jaguars played like it meant everything, knocking off the Hornets, 31-28.

Odums and quarterback Dray Joseph said there is plenty of reason fans will see the Jaguars at their best Saturday.

“This is what we look forward to as a team in during the offseason, playing our rival,’’ said Joseph, a senior from West St. John High who will be playing in his final Bayou Classic. “It’s nationally (televised), which is great. We know that Grambling is going to come out and give us their best shot.’’

The Jaguars also want to look sharp heading into next week’s championship game.

And it’s also a chance for Southern to enjoy a four-game winning streak, something none of the players on the 2013 roster have done since they’ve been on The Bluff.

“Our goal is to be 4-0 in November,’’ Odums said. “This is our fourth game in November and we have a great opportunity to win and do that. That’s something we haven’t been able to do. We had to get over the hurdle winning three in a row. Our guys have never won four in a row. We want to take the next step. This is a great stage for us to do that.’’

And a great venue, Joseph points out. The Jaguars and their high-powered offense will be playing in the climate controlled Superdome. Joseph, the SWAC’s top passer, has thrown for 3,010 yards and 24 touchdowns this season with only 10 interceptions. He’s completed 229 of 365 passes.

He has arguably the SWAC’s top receiving corps, led by senior Lee Doss, of St. Augustine, who is the top pass catcher in the league with 62 receptions for 930 yards and seven touchdowns.

Southern University quarterback Dray Joseph, a senior from West St. John High, leads the SWAC in passing with 3,010 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

And Southern will be going against the worst defense in the SWAC. Grambling is allowing 495.8 yards per game, last in the conference, and giving up 38.4 points per game, ninth in the league.

“They have a great passing game,’’ Winston said. “They do a lot of the same things a lot of teams have done against us. What they’re doing is nothing new to us. Most of the teams with spread offense do the same things.’’

Winston said the Tigers won’t change anything defensively for Southern.

Grambling’s best chance seems to be its offense, which has played well in its last two games.

In a 45-42 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 9, the last time Grambling played, the Tigers rolled up 428 yards on offense.

In its lone victory, a 47-40 decision against Mississippi Valley on Nov. 2, Grambling had 408 yards of offense.

The common dominator in those games was junior quarterback Johnathan Williams, who replaced injured starter D.J. Williams, the son of Doug Williams, who was fired as head coach in September. In the two games, Johnathan Williams rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns and completed 32 of 48 passes for 540 yards and six touchdowns.

But Winston said he isn’t sure which Williams will start yet, saying the staff will decide either Friday or Saturday.

“We’ll look at them through the week,’’ Winston said. “We’ll give them the same amount of reps. Whichever quarterback shows us the best during that week, that’s the one who will start.

“Johnathan does some things. But Johnathan is no longer a surprise to people. He’s going to have to step his game up also. He’s going to have to do some things we know he can do.’’

Odums said the Jaguars will have to prepare for both. He said he’s also noticed that since Grambling has returned from its players’ boycott of the Jackson State game on Oct. 19, the Tigers have played very hard.

“I think they’re playing better,’’ Odums said. “Sometimes you have to have the right chemistry. I think Coach Winston has done a great job of getting those guys to pull together and buy into whatever philosophy he’s trying to teach them.’’

But his main concern is his team. And he thinks they have the right mindset now to play well and win. He thinks that showed in the Alabama State game and in how the Jaguars conducted themselves in practice this week.

Despite cold, rainy weather early in the week, practices were good, he said.

“Here’s a difference a year makes,’’ Odums said. “When I first got here, if we had gone outside, our guys would have (complained about it). But (Monday) I came in and Dray Joseph said, ‘That might have been our best practice of the year.’ It was raining and freezing out there. But it goes to show you our guys are locked in and focused on preparing for the opportunity that is in front of them.’’